Do you actually want us to go up to the Premiership? - The Poll

[Gritt23]

Well we'll have to buck the trend then. West Brom went up a few years ago and had 1 season up there, then came back down for a couple of years and have now been their ever since. Cant recall them spending beyond their means - the type of club(ish) we should be looking to emulate (not including the Anelka saga of course), West Brom and Swansea that is.

They do appear to be the model clubs, but you don't necessarily know whether they have run their finances sensibly until they are relegated, and whether they can cut their ties with some of the sillier wages that are inevitably in the squad somewhere.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

I'm in two minds on this and I've heard a lot of fans voice similar views.

On the one hand, obviously the glory of going up, playing the big teams, seeing your team at some great grounds.

But the downside:

Season tickets will be more expensive, for less games.
Away games will be incredibly more expensive
We may lose a lot more than we win

NOT REALLY WORTH A POLL AS IT'S OBVIOUS THE MAJORITY ON HERE WANT PREM FOOTBALL, what i will say is that after the honeymoon period is over THE REALITY WILL COME BACK TO SMACK THEM IN THE FACE
enjoy the ride if and when it happens
regards
DR

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

If you're not aiming for the stars - aka the premier league, by way of a stepping stone to the champions league - then why on earth would you even claim to be an albion fan? What kind of sad f**k ever applauded a tidy season of FFP housekeeping?

 

[Geestar]

If your not striving for the best then your not striving at all.

Why anyone would WANT to stay in the 2nd league is beyond me.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

if you're not aiming for the stars - aka the premier league, by way of a stepping stone to the champions league - then why on earth would you even claim to be an albion fan? What kind of sad f**k ever applauded a tidy season of ffp housekeeping?

day dreamer
regards
DR

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

day dreamer
regards
DR

Meh

 

[Geestar]

Meh

How dare you dream of the top!

 

[TomandJerry]

I would like to go to the top league, but have a fear of being priced out

 

[Brovion]

For someone who hardly goes to matches, you are posting in an extremely smug way. Fans go to matches for a lot of different reasons. My Dad always said he would prefer to be winning matches near the top of a division than losing lots of matches near the bottom of the one above.
There is a strong financial reason for a lot of fans to want us to stay in the Championship and to be able afford to go to games.
The last time we were in the top division, the crowds dropped considerably after the first two years.

I haven't voted in the poll as none of the above match my views.

I wouldn't call it 'smug', I've just taken the argument to an extreme. But the point is true, if someone voted 'No' (and the poll only allows yes or no) then by definition they want us to lose key games so that we don't get promoted. As others have pointed out I don't see how you can be a Brighton fan and NOT want us to win every game. I make this argument every time the FA Cup comes round!

I voted 'yes' because I'm a Brighton fan but actually I agree with you, it's a poorly-constructed poll that doesn't capture all the options. I want us to do as well as we can but I'm not over-fussed as to what division we're in. And that applies to getting relegated to League One as well. Getting into the premier league may well be an expensive season of extended misery, but losing seasons are just as much a part of football as winning seasons. It's all part of the rich tapestry of supporting a club at our level.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I wouldn't call it 'smug', I've just taken the argument to an extreme. But the point is true, if someone voted 'No' (and the poll only allows yes or no) then by definition they want us to lose key games so that we don't get promoted. As others have pointed out I don't see how you can be a Brighton fan and NOT want us to win every game. I make this argument every time the FA Cup comes round!

I voted 'yes' because I'm a Brighton fan but actually I agree with you, it's a poorly-constructed poll that doesn't capture all the options. I want us to do as well as we can but I'm not over-fussed as to what division we're in. And that applies to getting relegated to League One as well. Getting into the premier league may well be an expensive season of extended misery, but losing seasons are just as much a part of football as winning seasons. It's all part of the rich tapestry of supporting a club at our level.

I agree with your second paragraph. I just want to watch my team and I'm not overly fussed about the Premier League. I had some great times watching us in the lower leagues.

 

[pasty]

My answer is yes, but I won't be that bothered if we never do. Genuinely.

 

[Harry H]

What is the point of anything if you don't want to move up to the next level?

 

[Invicta]

Yes - you have to want to go up - that said I'm loving it at the Amex in the Championship, winning regularly and challenging at the top. Be a different experience to go up and lose regularly but give it a go.

 

[jamie (not that one)]

I remember thinking to myself about 7 or so years ago that I'd probably never see my team in the Premiership. If only for one season I'd be happy and the parachute payments would keep us in business for a long time. I don't think our board are stupid enough to blow loads of money in the first year and I think we could become sustainable.

 

[dangull]

Attendances in the late 70's when we were challenging for promotion out of the second tier and then when we were in the premiership. Initial increase for novelty value, followed by a big dive when we started to lose a lot more than we win.

1977 - 20,197
1978 - 25,265
1979 - 22,145
1980 - 24,745
1981 - 18,984
1982 - 18,244
1983 - 14,662

Attendances were dropping for most clubs in the early 80's due to crowd violence, the economy etc, not just cos we were losing more games.

 

[fat old seagull]

Mmmm ...this isn't as clear cut for me as I'd like it to be. I want to win every game and get promoted by winning the championship? But would I be happier next season winning lots in the Championship or going home on Saturdays pizzed orf because we've been stuffed out of sight. Yes I know! I know .... no ambition, but I just want to be happy you see.

 

[Willy Dangle]

Yep been there before and love it. Was div1 back then

 

[coagulantwolf]

I do, but I am not overly fussed nor in a rush. And apart from the major teams, no disrespect, but I have no real burning desire to watch teams like Stoke, Villa, Norwich etc. I know you could argue in our division you don't want to see Barnsley etc (again no disrespect), but for the extra costs and everything else, I am not a 'The Premier League is the ONLY place I want Brighton to be' kind of guy.

 

[Baldseagull]

Those folk that say they want to see their side win every game, surely must realise that they would see more wins in two good seasons in the Championship than one good season in the Championship and a tough season in the Prem.
I want to see BHA play in competitions that they are competetive in. I love the Championship because it isn't a surprise to beat the league leaders, or lose to a relegation battling side, it is competetive top to bottom.

I support BHA and want them to be successful, but I also want to watch a competetive game of football, one of the best games I saw at the Goldstone was a 0-0 with Notts Forest, and one of the best I saw away was a 5-4 defeat at Sheffield United. Yes, I would have loved to have nicked the win in both those, but they were entertaining games that we could have won and I was glad I had gone to the game.
I would love for BHA to get promotion, pretty sure I will not enjoy much of the next season though.

 

[BadFish]

I haven't voted in the poll because it doesn't really cover my thoughts.

I would love Premier League football but I don't want it at the expense of operating within our means. I want to invest in youth, break even every year and see where that takes us. The club being run properly and continuing its exsistence is more importatn to me than gambling on the Premier League.